MH Outlanders Progression Guide
Push the main story first, and do your daily tasks every day. Story quests are gated by Adventure Rank and Proof of Mastery, and Adventure XP is limited, so missing your dailies is what usually causes a wall.
Updated 1 November 2026
How progression works
Outlanders wants you to advance several systems together. Story progress is gated by Adventure Rank and Proof of Mastery. Adventurer Power checks then appear as you climb Proof of Mastery. RageGamingVideos says the main early route to power is simply pushing story progress, stopping to farm XP only when you need to.
Game8's walkthrough shows the main gates. It only reaches Adventure Rank 30 so far, because the guide is still being written. Treat these as the known checkpoints rather than the full game.
| Gate | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1 | Adventure Rank 4 unlocks Mail and Recruitment, and Rank 5 unlocks Events |
| Chapter 2 | Adventure Rank 17, Trusted Leader I and Ecological Rank 2 |
| Chapter 3 | Adventure Rank 22, Trusted Leader II and Ecological Rank 3 |
| Chapter 4 | Adventure Rank 27, Seasoned Explorer II, Ecological Rank 4 and 3600 Adventurer Power |
| After Chapter 4 | Adventure Rank 30 |
Story chapters and unlocks
Each chapter unlocks a core system, so the story is worth rushing early. Chapter 1 teaches the basics, adds Watchtowers and unlocks Recruitment after you talk to Raya. It also gives you Madelyn after the Pukei-Pukei hunt, and Hunt Requests soon after. Chapter 2 brings in Ouyang Varen, Trial Expeditions, the Arena and equipment upgrades.
Chapter 3 teaches elemental matching with a Fire weapon and Fire Damage Up armor. It also unlocks Season features and Monster Challenges. Chapter 4 adds Visages and leads to Rathian, Rathalos and your first look at Ruger Aidal. Marathon Hunts become a useful daily source of Zenny after that.
Equipment rarity moves with the story too. Rarity 2 follows Great Girros, Rarity 3 follows Anjanath, and Rarity 4 comes in Chapter 3 after you hunt a Radiant Great Jagras with a Fire build. Rarity 5 arrives after Tobi-Kadachi, and Rarity 6 follows Radiant Jyuratodus. Each step is a good time to refresh your main gear.
How to raise Adventure Rank fast
Adventure XP is a limited resource. You do not earn it from every hunt, and some sources only pay out once. If you move fast, you can hit a wall where you have to wait for the next day. Knowing the sources lets you work ahead instead.
One-time sources:
- Main story quests, which you cannot miss.
- Side requests marked with XP.
- Free Hunt research objectives. Two of the three objectives per monster give XP.
Repeatable sources:
- Adventure Requests, worth up to 3,600 XP per day.
- Energy Hunt Requests, which give XP as part of their rewards.
When you hit an XP wall, go through your Free Hunts first and clear their objectives. Then do Adventure Requests and spend your energy. Game8 also names two requests that give XP, Adventure Remedy and Chase the Sky I. If nothing is left, wait for the daily reset at 5 AM server time.
Spend your energy every day
Energy powers Hunt Requests, which give materials for Keepsakes, Buddies and Visages. Any energy above the maximum is wasted, so spend it at least once a day. You do not need to sit through these hunts either. Quick Hunt auto-completes them if you meet the power threshold.
You can buy more energy with Rutacoins, but RageGamingVideos warns against it. The cost rises if you do it several times in a day. It is usually better to wait a little longer for more energy. Adventure Requests also refresh with each new day.
How to raise Adventurer Power
Adventurer Power is the number you need for key story checks. Game8 lists five things that increase it.
- Keepsakes: the simplest route. Use materials from Keepsake Hunt Requests to level and ascend them.
- Weapons and armor: craft or upgrade better gear from Free Hunts and field monsters, at no energy cost.
- Engravings: these cost Zenny and Engraved Gems, so focus on your Fated Adventurer and SSR Adventurers.
- Visages: these add random stats and arrive at Ecological Rank 4, around Adventure Rank 25.
- Buddies: they share power with your Adventurer, and level with Buddy Hunt Requests.
Your Adventurer needs to clear set numbers at certain Proof of Mastery tiers. Game8's table is below. You only need to reach these on one character, so focus your resources.
| Proof of Mastery tier | Power needed | Recommended setup |
|---|---|---|
| Seasoned Explorer II | 3600 | Lv 40 SSR with all engravings, full Rarity 5 gear, Lv 40 SR Buddy |
| Seasoned Explorer IV | 5220 | Lv 50 SSR with all engravings, full Rarity 6 gear, Lv 50 SR Buddy, leveled Visage set |
| Established Trailblazer II | 6680 | To be confirmed |
If you hit a wall, you may need to raise Ecological Rank to lift your level caps. Pushing the story for higher-rarity gear can also solve it. Do not grind one system when another is capped.
Gear your squad efficiently
Keep your main Adventurer's gear up to date. Your three squadmates can stay in their default Guild set, because it upgrades in rarity with your Adventure Rank. This saves you from spending materials repeatedly. Only build them proper gear if you hit a wall that needs raw stats.
Match elements for a big damage increase. Against a Water-weak monster, Madelyn, Ouyang Varen and a Water-weapon Fated Adventurer make an easy free team. Your Fated Adventurer's specialization changes with its weapon, while others have a set favored element. Madelyn and Ouyang Varen are both early story unlocks.
Unlock free Adventurers
You can get most Adventurers without spending, and without relying on luck. Raya, Madelyn and Ouyang Varen arrive early in the story. Rank Rush gives Luxheart at Adventure Rank 20 and Ryunosuke at Rank 30. Those rewards also include free contracts.
Three SSRs are available too. The Adventurers Chronicle event gives Pyro through progress and daily logins, and Surging Lightning eventually gives Luka. Haze comes from the guild: 30 tickets unlock her, and each ticket costs 800 guild points. Surging Lightning's weekly task needed Visages, so reaching Adventure Rank 25 early helps.
Join a guild early for daily supplies and points. The Beginner banner should be your first recruitment stop, because it is the cheapest route to an SSR. Claim the free contracts in your mail as well. Event names and rewards may change, so details are to be confirmed in-game.
Your daily routine
Do these each day to stay ahead of the XP wall:
- Claim your Adventure Requests.
- Spend your energy on Hunt Requests.
- Claim guild supplies.
- Push the next story quest.
- Upgrade your main weapon and armor.
SR Adventurers can be easier to max than SSRs, because duplicates add Insight points and SRs are easier to pull in bulk. Use whoever you enjoy, but keep that in mind if you want raw power early. If you play slowly and keep up with dailies, you may never hit an XP wall.